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A small bird chirping loudly from an empty nest in the rain, looking up at the sky.

desesperadamente

deh-ses-peh-rah-dah-MEN-teh

adverbB1
desperately?in a way that shows a loss of hope or extreme urgency
Also:frantically?done with wild or hurried activity,hopelessly?without hope

📝 In Action

Ella buscaba sus llaves desesperadamente porque llegaba tarde.

A2

She was looking for her keys desperately because she was running late.

El hombre gritó desesperadamente pidiendo ayuda.

B1

The man shouted desperately for help.

Necesito un vaso de agua desesperadamente.

A2

I desperately need a glass of water.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • angustiosamente (anguishedly)
  • urgentemente (urgently)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • necesitar desesperadamente – to need desperately
  • llorar desesperadamente – to cry desperately
  • intentar desesperadamente – to try desperately

💡 Grammar Points

The '-mente' ending

In Spanish, adding '-mente' to the feminine form of an adjective is just like adding '-ly' in English. It tells you 'how' an action is being done.

Stress placement

When words end in '-mente', the main emphasis or 'punch' of the word is always on the 'MEN' syllable.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the wrong form

Mistake: "Él corre desesperado."

Correction: Él corre desesperadamente (if you mean 'how' he is running).

⭐ Usage Tips

Add intensity

Use this word when you want to emphasize that someone is at their limit or that a situation is very serious.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: desesperadamente

Question 1 of 2

Which of these best describes 'desesperadamente'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

desesperar(to lose hope / to drive crazy) - verb
desesperación(despair) - noun
desesperado(desperate) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it different from 'desesperado'?

Yes! 'Desesperado' is an adjective used to describe a person (e.g., a desperate man), while 'desesperadamente' is an adverb used to describe an action (e.g., to run desperately).

Can it be used for positive things?

Not usually. It almost always carries a sense of distress, urgency, or lack of hope.